Holiday Cookies
& Royal Icing
Favorite Holiday Sugar Cookies
This recipe has several variations which makes it a great choice for a cookie exchange.
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie Cutters
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (1/2 lb)
- 1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 3 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cup royal icing recipe follows
- sanding sugars optional
For Spice Cookies, add into full batch of Sugar Cookie Dough
- 3 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp ground allspice
For Lemon Cookies, beat into full batch of Sugar Cookie Dough
- 3 tsp lemon zest finely grated
For Chocolate Cookies, follow directions for making Sugar Cookie dough, but add cocoa powder after beating in eggs and then add only 2 2/3 cups flour
- 1 cup cocoa powder
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar in bowl of an electric mixer and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla, baking powder and salt and beat at medium speed until mixed. Add eggs; beat until blended. Add flour and mix at low speed until combined, scraping down bowl once or twice.
- Divide dough in half. Using hands, shape dough into discs, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
- Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment. Remove 1 disc of dough from refrigerator. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut cookies into stars, snowflakes or any other shapes., Transfer cookies, with a metal spatula, to baking sheets and chill for 10 minutes. Bake cookies 12 to 15 minutes, depending upon thickness and size, rotating pans halfway through, until golden and firm to touch. Cool for 5 minutes, transfer to rack and let cool. Repeat with remaining dough.
Royal Icing
I used this sugar cookie recipe to make the party favors for TAPA THAT! -A peacock cookie cutter, colorful 'feather frosting', placed in individual boxes for guests to take home after the party.
Equipment
- Pastry Bag and Decorator Tips
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp powdered egg whites
- 1/2 cup warm water
- pinch tartar
- 1 lb confectioners' sugar (powdered) (4 cups)
- 1-2 tsp Lemon, Vanilla, or Almond extract Optional
- Gel Food Coloring
Instructions
- In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat powdered egg white, water and cream of tartar. Add confectioners' sugar and mix on medium speed until blended. Increase speed to high and beat until icing is thick and glossy, about 5 minutes. Add more water as needed to thin to desired consistency for piping or spreading. Use immediately, (or refrigerate in a covered plastic container. Beat icing again to soften before using.)
- To decorate cookies: put some Royal Icing in a pastry bag with a small plain, round tip. (Or put icing in a sturdy plastic bag and snip a tiny hole in one corner.) Pipe around edge of cookie and let dry. Stir 1 tablespoon water into another portion of Royal Icing to soften; put thinned icing in a clean pastry bag or new plastic bag. Pipe icing onto each cookie, flooding inside of border. Let dry. Re-pipe border. Sprinkle cookie with sanding sugar, shake off excess and let dry.
- Cookies may be store, tightly covered, in a tin for up to 2 weeks.